This invention relates generally to the process, and product therefrom, for a culinary product, particularly a food dressing, wherein the dry ingredients mixed into the solution are permanently suspended homogeneously throughout the same without settling.
Various compositions have been prepared in the category of various dressings, such as salad dressings, and wherein their compositions include in combination water and oil supplemented with a gum for the purpose of adding body to the dressing, while simultaneously attaining the desired low caloric content, primarily for the purpose of stimulating their sale to the weight conscious trade. For example, in the United States patent to Bondi, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,916,384, a combination of water, vinegar, and primarily olive oil is intermixed with various flavorings, in addition to agar gum for producing an Italian flavored simulated dressing that exhibits a low caloric content. While the dressing identified in this particular patent is reported to be a proven simulation of an Italian dressing, its use of oil within its ingredient content does increase the caloric content, and also prevents the gum added from conveniently mixing within the solution for the purpose of maintaining a desired viscosity therewith, such as to be herein taught by applicant, as such is desired for the purpose of suspending the dry ingredients throughout its solution without the need for further agitating or shaking after its being packaged. Thus, settlement does occur in the Bondi type of dressing, although said dressing probably is desirable for the purpose of acting as an Italian dressing substitute.
The U.S. Pat. No 3,418,133, to Nijhoff, discloses a low calorie edible spread composition incorporating a thickening agent for the purpose of rendering the consistency of the composition appropriate for a spread, but such a composition is not capable of being used as a pourable dressing or any other pourable type liquid wherein all of the ingredients are permanently suspended and clearly viewable within the solution, and thereby alleviating the necessity for shaking before usage. In Example 1 of this cited United States patent, the disclosed composition can also be used as a salad dressing, but the presence of oil within the solution does have a tendency to detract from the effectiveness of the thickening agent, herein identified as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, for maintaining the solid ingredients in suspension for any lengthy period of time.
Also disclosed in the prior art is the invention of Jamison, et al., as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,663, for a pourable salad dressing composition. All of the examples of this disclosure include oil to some significant percentage to form an oil in water type of emulsion, and while the dressing described is probably effective for its purpose as a pourable composition, through experimentation the dry ingredients of the disclosed examples cannot be maintained in suspension. Other prior art patents relating to the subject matter of this disclosure are the U.S. Pat. of Seltzer, No. 2,007,218; Folkrod, No. 2,344,688; Steinitz, No. 2,935,408; Monti, et al., No. 3,042,668; Klostermann, No. 3,108,004; and Shah et al., No. 4,143,174.